Bathtub



Dec. 13, 1949 l c. J. RoDMAN 1 2,490,982

BATHTUB Filed Jan. 1o, 1945 3 sheets-sheet 2 Fig. 4

C. J. RODMAN Dec. 13, 1949 BATHTUB 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 10, 1945 Fig. 7

INVENTOR C/arencedooman b Patented Dec. 13, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE BATHTUB Clarence J .Rodman, Alliance, Ohio Application January 10, 1945, Serial No. 572,126

4 clams. (o1. 4-173) 4 This invention relates generally to bathtubs and, in particular, to a shower bathtub, although certain features of the invention are applicable as well to ordinary tubs in which the occupant sits while bathing.

Various forms of bathtubs have been proposed heretofore and it is the object of my invention to provide an improved tub particularly suited for installation in shower stalls, having an attractive appearance, a relatively low cost of manufacture, and other features of utility which will be pointed out more particularly hereinafter. A special feature of the invention is the provision of an apron depending from the tub rim at the front, which affords toe room for a person standing close to the tub.

In a preferred embodiment, my invention comprises a tub having a body portion or well with a rim extending therearound and mergingthereinto, and an apron extending downwardly from the rim and sloping inwardly toward'the tub body or well. The rim is preferably made wide enough to afford a seat extending circumferentially of the tub.

Further details, novel features and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the following complete description which refers to the accompanying drawings illustrating a. preferred embodiment and certain modifications. In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a plan View of a shower tub showing the walls of the stall in which it is located, in section;

Figure 2 is a front elevation;

Figure 3 is a transverse section taken along the plane of line III-III of Figure 1;

Figures 4 and 5 are views similar to Figure 1 showing modified forms of tubs;

Figure 6 is a longitudinal section through a tub of the Yordinary type, having an inwardly sloping apron, according to my invention; and

Figure 7 isa transverse section taken along the plane of line VII-VII of Figure 6.

Referring now in detail to the drawings and, for the present, to Figures 1 through 3, a shower tub indicated generally at i3 is adapted to be set in a stall defined by walls II, open at the front. The tub comprises a tub body or well I2 having a side wall I3 and a bottom I4. As shown in the drawings, the wall I3 is generally cylindrical but tapers slightly toward. the bottom. A rim I5 extends around the tub well or body and merges into the side wall I3. The rim is preferably made of such width, as illustrated, to

afford a seat extending circumferentially of the tub.

In the particular type of tub illustrated in Figures 1 through 3, the rim I5 extends forwardlyy from the stall as indicated at I6. An apron I'I extends downwardly from the rim portion I6 and slopes inwardly toward the side wall I3 of the tub well, thereby affording toe room for the feet of a person standing close to the tub ,as indicated at I8. The apron merges into the rim portion I5 and may be integral therewith or formed separately and welded thereto. The tub body and rim are preferably drawn from sheet steel of suitable gage. y

As illustrated in the drawings, the rim portion IE is of bow form being defined by straight lines. The apron I'I conformably comprises a plurality of panels I9, 20 and 2| bowing outwardly from the sides of the stall.

The tub bottom I4 and the rim I5 may be corrugated or embossed in any suitable form to provide increased rigidity and lessen the risk of slipping. The tub is provided with a central drain connection 22 and an overflow connection 23 opens into the side wall I3.

Figure 4 illustrates a tub 25 generally similar to that shown in Figures 1 through 3 except that the tub well 26 is elliptical in shape. The rim 21, furthermore, does not bow outwardly from the sides of the stall. The apron 28 may thus be constituted by a single panel sloping inwardly toward the tub well.

Figure 5 shows a tub 3l] having a well 3I of oval form therein. This tub is adapted for cor- I ner installations and thus has aprons 32 and 33 extending downwardly from the rim 34 on two adjacent sides thereof, the aprons sloping inwardly toward the tub well as in the case of the tubs previously described.

The tubs shown in Figures 1 through 5 have an almost universal utility. If the tubs are made with a depth in the neighborhood of 10 inches, they will serve very satisfactorily as a shower tub but may be used by children for taking a bath while seated. The inwardly sloping apron affording toe room for a person standing close to the tub is of particular advantage in the bathing of a child by an adult since it permits the latter to stand within reach of the child without discomfort. The tub may also serve as a foot bath. When so used, the bather may sit comfortably on the rim I Il. This is also true in the case of a person taking a shower.

The tub may be made in sizes requiring but little floor space. When so made, only a small less conventional type except that it has an apron 36 extending downwardly from the rim 3l and` sloping inwardly toward the tub body or well 3812 This construction provides the advantage of toe room for the feet of a person standirgn'earthe" tub, as illustrated at 3e, in the' same-manner as in the other forms of tub previously described.

Although I have illustrated and described here?" in a preferred embodiment o f the invention with c'tai modifications; it" will' b understood tlfilt'n changes in the details of the constructions dis-L' cloSedm'ay" bel lnfrade- Wtho'-tdepartiig' from `l4the spirit? of 'the invention-'of' the scope' of' the ap-VV pendedclaims.

I Cla-'imi 1. A bathtub adapted to'be' disposed in arooii` having a oor, theA tubhaving'a peripherallyclosed" generall-y cylindrical upright walland a' bottoni' spanning the lowerextrernity of the wall, the wall and the bottom formingffa' well", a' wide rim portion formingafseat completely surrounding the well atfthe level of the upper edge'thereof and an apron extending downwardlyfrom the rinr portion `to thev door' on'onesidofthe` well, the apron sloping 'inwardlyadjacntthe floor to provide standing space on the floor beneath' the outer portion of the rim.

2. A bathtub adapted to be disposed ina room having a door; the tub havingea peripherally closed i generally upright wall -and ia bottom'spanning the-lower extremity of vthewvall, the w'all and the bottom forming' awell', a" wide rimp'or; tion forming a seat at a side oi"tl'le' wellattliel level of the upper edge thereofa'nd" an" apron' extending downwardly fromthetop of the'well 4 to the floor at another side of the well extending transversely of the first mentioned side, the apron sloping inwardly adjacent the oor to provide standing space on the floor beneath a portion of the tub.

3. A bathtub adapted to be disposed in a room having a floor, the tub having a peripherally closed generally upright Wall and a bottom spanning vthe lower extremity of the wall, the wall and the bottomffrming a well, a-rirn portioniat least partially surrounding the well at the level of the upper edge thereof and an apron extending downwardly from the rim portion to the floor on one side of the well, the apron bowing outwardly at the mid-portion thereof, the mid-portion of the apron sloping inwardly adjacent the licor to providefstandingispaeeon the floor beneath the outer portion of the rim.

4'.' Arbathtub adapted to be disposed in a room having a oor, the tub having a peripherallyclosed generallyl upright 'wall Vandi a bottom. spanning the 16W-eil? extremity' ofi the wall', A the wall and the' bbttomiforming la well',4 a .rimportion'at 'least par#4 taily surroundin'githe well at'the-level of the upper edge thereof and an apron extendingy downwardlyfromV` the'topbf'the wellto thefoor on' one side of: the Well', the api'onincluding aplurality of panels disposed in" side-b'y-si'de relationship, atE least 'one of the panels sloping inwardly 'adjacentJ thefiioorto provide standinglsp'aceon the floor beneath a portion of the tubi:v

CLARENCE J. RODMAN.

REFERENCES.' CITED The following references are' of' record inY the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Namel Date 21,138V Kraemer Aug. 10', 1858" 1,546,536 Blak: July 2l, 1925"y 1,901,151 Druckenmiller Mar. 14, 1933` 1,993,420 Steele et al Mar.' 5, 1935. 2,122,247 Coordes June 28, 1938 2,294,929 Falh'urist June 18, 1940 22,269,748 Widman" Jan. 13, 1942 

